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Rupert meets his 'superman' bone marrow donor, Billy

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Just over two weeks ago 10-year-old Rupert Cross, who received a stem cell transplant to treat his rare blood disorder, met the stranger who helped save his life.

Billy Higgins, from Essex, joined the Anthony Nolan register when he spotted a woman he liked in the queue. He was found to be a match for Rupert and donated stem cells collected via the bone marrow, while under general anaesthetic.

“Billy can be incredibly proud of the difference he has made to Rupert and his family.

“There are families that have had more time together and people thriving who wouldn’t be here without the generosity of our amazing stem cell donors. Every day at least five people start their search for a matching unrelated stem cell donor, and we want to be able to find a match for every patient who needs a transplant. By joining the Anthony Nolan stem cell register you can people will give hope of a second chance of life to someone, like Rupert, in the future.”